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| HEALTH & FITNESS |
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EYESIGHT Ayurveda and you
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EYESIGHT Why do we use a soft contact lens solution? This appears to be a very simple question and when asked, most of the contact lens wearers would mention cleaning, lubrication, rinsing, lens storage, disinfection and protein removal. All these are, in fact, the reasons why contact lens wearers are recommended lens care solutions. So, what is the main function that the contact lens solution performs? All the functions performed by the contact lens solution are very important and have their own significance in ensuring safe and comfortable lens wear. One function that tops of the list of functions performed by contact lens solution is none other than disinfection. What is disinfection? Simply put, disinfection is the ability of the contact lens solution to kill or limit the growth of micro-organisms like bacteria and fungi within safer limits to prevent the contamination of the lenses or any infections. Disinfection is the most important thing for contact lens wearers because it is directly linked to the safety of contact lens wear and cannot be substituted by external factors. Contaminated lenses are not the only source of uncomfortable lens wear but also pose a bigger threat of causing infections to the eye. Some of these infections can be sight-threatening too. Proper disinfection is the key to maintaining the health of the eye. What are the other functions of contact lens solutions? Cleaning:
This function refers to digital cleaning (rub each side for 15 seconds each) and aims at removing the loosely bound deposits, debris or microorganisms on the lens surface Rinsing: It flushes off the loosely adhered debris on the lens surface. It is an important step though often a forgotten one. In some solutions that carry the “No Rub” mark, it is mandatory to rinse the lenses for at least 5 seconds each side. Protein removal: Contact lens solutions contain ingredients like hydranate to actively remove proteins from the lens matrix. Lubrication: Contact lens solutions also contain lubricants that attract moisture from the atmosphere and form a film over the lens to keep it moist for longer hours. This also enhances the end-of-the- day comfort. Role of compliance The following instructions given by eye care professionals play a crucial role in ensuring safe and successful lens wear. Here are some of tips on how to keep your contact lens wear comfortable:.
Recently more than 100 cases of fungal corneal ulcers have been reported in patients using Renu moisture Loc solution from Bausch & Lomb. The writer is Chairman and Medical Director, Centre for Sight, New Delhi.
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Ayurveda and you Called ‘gridhrasi’ in ayurvedic parlance and one of the pure ‘vata’ diseases, sciatica is the pain resulting from the irritation of the sciatic nerve. This being the largest nerve in the body, originating from the lumbar spinal cord and extending through the buttock area, to send its branches in the lower limb. The sciatica pain is typically felt from the low back to behind the thigh, and it radiates down below the knee and sometimes even to the foot. Ayurvedic texts attribute vitiated ‘vata’ to be its chief causative factor. Generally sciatica occurs due to wrong sitting postures, lifting heavy weights and jerks and trauma having an impact on the lumbar spine. Disc herniation directly pressing on the nerve and many other factors, which include irritation of the nerve arising from situations like bone deformity, internal growths, infections and muscle weakness , can also give rise to this problem. The onset of pain can be sudden or gradual and it is exacerbated by coughing, sneezing and adopting certain body postures which raise pressure on the affected nerve. Numbness may be felt over the distribution of the involved nerve root and in more severe cases, weakness of the calf muscle and foot-drop may also occur. The initial diagnosis is made on the mode of the onset of pain and its aggravation by the flexion of the spine. Other sophisticated tests like MRI can more precisely tell about the extent of the problem. Though the treatment of sciatica depends upon the underlying cause, the first and foremost therapeutic measure in all cases of acute sciatica is rest in bed which must be absolute with the prohibition of the sitting position. The effectiveness of the bed rest in patients with sciatica of sufficient pain can be gauged minimally after a week. In chronic cases, activities like walking are encouraged but the patient is reminded not to adopt activities which are likely to put unnecessary strain on the back. Many times recurrence of the trouble results only by not following doctor’s advise properly on this account. There are many classic ayurvedic medicines which are indicated to treat sciatica. Depending upon the condition of the patient, any suitable guggul preparation like the panchamrita loha, yograj, and tryodshang should form the base of its treatment. Vaishvanar churna, ajmodadi churna and simple powders of ashwagandha and suranjan are an effective ‘vata’ relieving remedies. The writer is a Ludhiana-based senior ayurvedic consultant |
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How an apple a day keeps the doctor away Washington: You may have heard the cliche. “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” without really knowing how, but now researchers have found how the protective mechanism works. They have discovered a way in which flavonoid-rich apples inhibit the kinds of cellular activity that lead to the development of chronic diseases. “We’ve known for a long time that it’s the flavonoids in fruits that are protecting the body. We just haven’t known exactly how.” “Now, at least in the case of apples, we have a good idea about what’s going on,” said Eric Gershwin, Professor of allergy, rheumatology and immunology at the UC Gershwin and his colleagues found that apple extract was able to protect cells from damage and death by interfering with communication between cells. Earlier studies have shown that flavonoids—which are found in chocolate and green tea, as well as other fruits and vegetables— behave as anti-oxidants, taking up free oxygen radicals that can damage precious DNA. The UC Davis study takes that research further by looking beyond the antioxidant effects of apple flavonoids. “Our study showed that the flavonoids in apples and apple juice can inhibit signals in this pathway that would otherwise damage or kill cells in the body,” Gershwin explained.
— ANI Tumours ‘sabotage
immune system’ Washington: Scientists have shown how tumours
can manipulate the immune system to stop it attacking cancer cells. They have found that late-stage cancers produce a protein which switches the role of normally helpful immune cells. Instead, of aiding the mobilisation of the immune systems defences, these cells start to inhibit attempts by the immune system to attack the cancer. The study, by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, is published in Nature Immunology. The capacity of the immune system response against tumour cells is severely impaired, reports the BBC. Tumours produce many types of abnormal proteins, which play different roles in their development. Some enable the cancer to grow rapidly, but others appear to neutralise the effect of the immune system.
— ANI New pathways for
autoimmune treatment Washington: A rare genetic defect that can trigger a host of diseases from type 1 diabetes to alopecia has helped explain the imbalance of immune regulator and killer cells in autoimmune disease. Mutation in the Aire gene leads to APS1, a disease causing two out of three problems — an underactive parath —roid, yeast infection of the skin and/or mucous membrane and adrenal gland insufficiency — by age 5 and up to 16 autoimmune diseases over a lifetime. The same mutation causes a defect in iNKT cells, a type of regulatory cell that helps the immune system fight infections while suppressing errant T cells bent on attacking the body, Medical College of Georgia researchers say. This finding opens new pathways for treating or preventing APS1, or autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type 1, and potentially other autoimmune diseases as well, researchers report in the June issue of Nature Medicine. “The body should maintain a balance between killing and suppression,” says Dr Qing-Sheng Mi, immunologist and lead and co-senior author. “If you are killing too hard, it can induce autoimmune disease. If you regulate suppression too hard, you can get cancer. INKT cells help maintain a healthy balance. But patients with autoimmune disease may not have enough functional INKT cells.” “Aire controls the development and function of iNKT cells,” says Drs. Jin-Xiong She, director of the MCG Center for Biotechnology and Genomic Medicine and co-senior author. “This relationship means that iNKT cells are critical to most autoimmune diseases and manipulating the INKT cell population is one possible way to cure autoimmune disease.” A lipid purified from sea plants, called alpha-GalCer, is already under study as a way to boost INKT cell numbers and fight autoimmune disease as well as cancer. iNKT cells’ reactivity to alpha-GalCer, prompted the scientists to use it as a marker to examine the status of these cells in a mouse missing the Aire gene. That Aire knockout is a good model for humans with APS1. They found significantly fewer INKT cells in the thymus, spleen, liver and bone marrow and severely impaired maturation of those cells in mice missing the Aire gene. And the mice given alpha- GalCer had significantly reduced autoantibody production.
— ANI Sunscreen to prevent
skin cancer Washington:
Sun-block creams can soon be topping your child’s school supply list to protect their skin against the ultra-violet rays, for a new study reveals that the majority of sun exposure happens during school hours. The study, published in The Journal of School Nursing, also highlights that a school nurse has a significant role to play in educating parents and students to incorporate sun-protective behaviours into daily routines as a means to prevent skin cancer. According to experts, sun exposure is the leading cause of skin cancer, which is the most common form of cancer in the United States, and about 80 per cent of a person’s lifetime sun exposure occurs before the age of 18. While at school, kids are outside once, sometimes twice, for recess during the peak sun hours between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., and this brings them under the direct influence of the sun. Also, after-school extracurricular activities-especially sports- contribute to unprotected sun exposure, the experts insist. Because the majority of sun exposure happens during school hours, the school nurse, as well as other school staff, can be active participants in instituting change, claims the study. In addition to the usual sun safety tips, school nurses are also in a position to affect health education curricula and school policies that promote sun safety behaviours, like — adopting a “No hat, no play” school policy for outdoor activities, encouraging more trees or building canopies on the playground and applying sunscreen before recesses and lunch breaks in elementary school. — ANI |
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